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How Fear Impacts the Unborn Baby & What You Can Do About It

Author and Trusted NTP practitioner

Susan Ross

Susan Ross Hypnotherapy

Susan sees clients who are interested in making a change in their life, healing trauma, fears, anxieties, habits, unexplained infertility, birth fears, birth healing and much more.
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Aug 10, 2021

How Fear Impacts the Unborn Baby & What You Can Do About It

All pregnant women have some fear about 'being' pregnant, birthing, and parenting.

Many women scare themselves by vividly imagining that a potential catastrophe is going to happen that they won't be able to cope with, as the strong belief that labour and birth will be awful and painful, and focussing on things 'going wrong'. If you've experienced similar kinds of thoughts and feelings, you might know on a rational level that you were blowing things out of proportion, but on an emotional level, the experience of fear and panic can still be overwhelming.

We are seeing an increase in pregnant and birthing women, fuelled by the media, television, books, magazines and all those well-intentioned friends. For many women, the fear of how birth will play out is greatly influenced by the many negative family stories that are passed down through generations.

Human beings have an incredible ability to imagine things that aren't happening. We can project ourselves into future scenarios, and imagine how things will work out. This is a fantastic skill to have as it allows us to plan ahead and to problem solve, but it can also be misused.  And if you misuse the imagination, by vividly imagining catastrophes are going to happen, then your body instinctively responds by going into emergency mode, flooding your body with adrenaline, trying to protect you from the imaginary dangers. 

Pregnancy Exposure

When you are pregnant, your baby is exposed to everything you experience. This includes the sounds in the environment, the air you breathe, the food you eat, and the emotions you feel. When you feel happy and calm, it allows your baby to develop in a calm, happy environment. There are many factors that affect brain development in the uterus, including drugs, smoking, alcohol, environmental toxins, and the mother's emotional state.

Dr. Thomas Verny in his book "The Secret Life of the Unborn Child" states:

"Maternal emotions such as anger, anxiety, and fear will prompt furious kicking. In these instances what causes the baby to kick is usually a combination of 'outside' and 'inside' events. The mother's anxiety-provoking hormones are flooding his system, making him worried and fearful. Her behaviour and her emotions are also affecting him. Almost anything that upsets her also upsets him, and nearly as quickly. New studies show that within a fraction of a second after fear has set his mother's heart racing, his begins pounding at double his normal rate."

How We Are Conceived, Grown, Birthed and Welcomed – Really Matters!

There are many ways you can create a happy environment for your unborn baby and the most important is to talk to your baby. Talk to your baby as if he is 'on the outside'. Tell him what you are doing, where you are going, read poetry & books, sing and play music. Let him know your hopes and dreams for him and how much he is loved. BUT, know that you cannot hide your innermost fears, anxiety, worries from your baby in the uterus. A baby knows and appreciates when you are happy and loving BUT also knows when you are sad, angry, fearful, upset, and scared. These deep emotions must be managed, released, and put into context for your unborn baby.

What Can You Do?

Staying calm and relaxed throughout pregnancy is easier said than done. Of course, appropriate prenatal classes can help, but they are generally short-lived programs, and whilst there is a myriad of resources on offer to focus on physical health, there is not enough consideration given to emotional and mental well-being.

THE MIND is the most important organ in pregnancy and birthing.

A pregnant woman and her baby deserve to enjoy a strong, positive connection during pregnancy and to know how to labour and birth in joyful bliss, creating a welcome meeting on the outside.

What happens to us during conception, our life in the womb, and at birth, is remembered, and sets in motion a life's pattern that affects us forever.

Hypno-Pregnancy is a program I have developed to keep you calm and relaxed during pregnancy, releasing all fears and anxieties. Imagine giving birth to an emotionally happy baby – the best start to life on the outside.

Hypnotherapy is deeply relaxing, bypassing your conscious thinking mind and accessing the subconscious mind, where fears and unwanted patterns of behaviour will be released. You will feel empowered, happy, and enjoy labour and birthing.

How you are during pregnancy and how you give birth is totally controlled by your subconscious mind.

FAQs About Pregnancy & Your Mental Health

What are the symptoms of unhealthy pregnancy?

Discomfort can happen during the later stages of a pregnant woman. Severe swelling, changes to your vision, flashing lights, and blurry eyesight are all signs of pre-eclampsia and need to be checked by a health professional right away.

How do I know my fetus is healthy?

There are many signs that pregnant mothers can look for to ensure that their fetus is developing and healthy. When a woman is pregnant, she usually gains around 12 to 15 kilograms. The baby begins moving after 5 months of conception and as they progress they start responding to movement, sound, pain, and light. Finally, the heart of the baby starts to beat around the twentieth week of pregnancy where a healthy heartbeat is between 110 to 160 beats per minute.

Does crying during pregnancy affect the baby?

Having an occasional cry has a low risk of harming your unborn baby. Severe depression during pregnancy negatively impacts your baby and pregnancy. The risk of postpartum depression can increase because of depression during pregnancy. This can trigger symptoms like loss of appetite, irregular sleep, and feelings of worthlessness that do not occur with normal pregnancy mood swings. Also, depression during pregnancy can sometimes persist over a longer period of time.

What types of stress can cause pregnancy problems?

Negative life events, catastrophic events, psychological distress, long-lasting stress such as post-traumatic stress disorder and stress hormones are all factors that contribute to increased prenatal stress levels.

How can stress during pregnancy affect the baby?

A history of depression and anxiety as well as health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease can be caused by high levels of stress. It's possible that you have a premature birth or a low birth weight baby if you're stressed during your pregnancies. Fetal development could be at risk due to chronic stress. They can cause problems in your baby's future physical and mental development, as well as behavioural issues in early childhood.

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